Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-08-18

OeAiNi ouI kIOoC dlSO. WdS III
tended as an overture on the part
OF representative men residing in
Centralia and Grand Rapids, to
those residing elsewhere in the
county, looking to the speedy in
auguration of a policy (too long
delayed, it may be, having for its
purpose the development and up
building of those portions of the
county remote from here, by
county aid, thereby beneftting
those localities in particular, and
in corresponding way, benefit
ting the county at large. By thus
urging a policy and courting an
opportunity which would enable
US to contribute legitimately to
the growth and prosperity of
other, and the more distant, sec
tions Of the county, we hoped to
prove to the satisfaction of all
that the people of Centralia and
Grand Rapids are n0t SO utterly
selfish and disreputable as they
have been represented to be.
The foregoing article signed by
Mr. Lathrop was written by him
and published in reply to the
article just referred to. To read
and fairly consider Mr.. Lathrop's
comments in the light of an in
telligent understanding of the
real truth as to the subjects dis
cussed is to be afforded marked
Illustration of the evil that per
sistent misrepresentation will ac-
complish, even with intelligent
aud well meaning men, when the
truth is handy, and could be had
for the asking Mr.. Lathrop was
in the Assembly last winter; has
resided in Wood county some
seven or eight years; is widely
and justly respected, and undoubt-
edly means to be just and fair to
all. But, without any consider
able acquaintance with the people
of these cities, without ever hav-
ing been here more than half a
dozen times in all, each time for a
day or SO at most, necessarily de-
pendent, in a great measure, for a
knowledge of our people and
county history during the many
years before his coming, upon in
formation derived from others, he
h2s in some way become SO
strangely wise as to all that has
transpired in our past, and so in
sanely hostile and bitter towards
us that he invites himself to recite
our history, and lay bare the
motives of our people for the last
twenty Or more years; to uncover
and expose intrigues that never
had the shadow of an existence,
and to criticise and condemn the
actions and purposes in public
affairs of trusted and honorable
men, most Of whom he never
knew or saw.
Lest what has been said shall
be deemed unjust to Mr.. Lathrop,
let us examine his article, and see
what it contains. First, as to his
"review of the past history of the
County," upon which is based his
indictment against "the people
who ruled Wood County" during
the many dismal years that pre-
ceded Mr.. Lathrop's coming. If
his "history" shall prove to be un-
true it should be rejected, and in
that event his Indictment must
fail also. He says;
The bridge was completed in
1867. In 1873 the County bought
the bridge and have since main
tanned it. They we're in fact as
well able to put up the bridge in
1868 as they were to buy it in
1873. Why was it not done? Be
cause the 0rIg1nat0rS of the scheme
saw, (and it must be admitted that
it was a Sbr9aVd trick, J that it
would be much hayaer for the
County to rid itself of the bridge
if purchased from private cor
poration than it would be if the
bridge was built by the County in
the first place"
The bridge was in fact built in
1866, instead of 1867. In 1866
the value of the taxable property
of Wood County, as equalized by
the County Board, was s53o,49o.
In 1873, Tin which year the county
purchased the BRIDGE the equal
lied valuation of its taxable prop
erty was sI,35o,ooo-more than
t100 and a half times as much as in
1866! The bridge cost the Bridge
Company in 1866 more than
$4,000. The county bought it in
1873, for about half that sum.
These facts and figures will tend
to show whether the county was
or not "in fact as well able" to
build the bridge in 1866 as to buy
it in 1879. They are submitted